The utility, ease of use, and ultimately, popularity of many electronic devices, including portable devices such as cellular telephones, is often gated by industrial design, including the user interface. The user interface is the gateway through which users receive not only content but also responses to user actions or behaviors, including user attempts to access a device's features or tools. As such, the user interface is integral to an overall user experience.
Unfortunately, there are limitations associated with existing user interfaces, especially the user interfaces for small, handheld devices. Existing user interfaces are often complicated. For example, the user interfaces of many mobile phones require a user to traverse a complex tree structure of menus to access device features and content. In addition, existing user interfaces are often counterintuitive, requiring a user to either read instructions in a manual or to engage in frustrating trial and error attempts to locate device features or content. As a consequence, attempts to add additional functionality to such devices are often hampered by the complexity of the user interface.
There is a need therefore, for improved user interfaces for devices, and particularly for small, handheld devices.